Portland Trail Blazers center Meyers Leonard has long been an enigma amongst the Rip City faithful. The 26-year old was drafted the same year as franchise icon Damian Lillard, but their careers have taken very different paths. While Lillard has flourished, Leonard has struggled to have a meaningful impact on the team, despite numerous opportunities.
However, with the departure of Ed Davis this past summer, Leonard entered this season with minutes open in the front court, and another chance to become part of the Blazers rotation. Early on, coach Terry Stotts opted to go small with the second unit, playing Zach Collins at center and Maurice Harkless as a stretch four.